CoolerMaster CM690 II beginner build

[GWillow]

Having now received all of my items I am ready to start the build process.

I've built 2 machines over the last 10+ years and they have basically been "chuck the bits together, ignore the mass of wires and use". This one I want to take some time over and try to do a better job.

Sadly I won't be starting the build for a couple of days as my son (12) wants to help and learn (*cough* what, from me?) but then says he's busy until Saturday afternoon.

Anyhow, here's an opening teaser shot.

Don't get too excited though, by some standards it's not the best PC.

 

[VaderDSL]

Ah get the individual components out! It's akin to doing a page 3 photoshoot but having the woman wear large baggy overalls.

Edit : Just realised how sad that sounds

 

[GWillow]

That comes next (when the puppy is locked away), probably Saturday.

 

[Buchanan0204]

Ah get the individual components out! It's akin to doing a page 3 photoshoot but having the woman wear large baggy overalls.

Edit : Just realised how sad that sounds

Not at all! Who wants to see a photo of a model hiding behind a cardboard box covered in tape

Get the gear out

 

[Buchanan0204]

That comes next (when the puppy is locked away), probably Saturday.

aww. I'm sure he wont do any damage. What kind of pup is it?

 

[GWillow]

2 initial thoughts.

Can't believe how heavy the PSU is and how many bits are in the fittings pack of the case.

10 * Stand-off
2 * Stand Off - hole - fix

What is a Stand off - hole - fix when it's at home.

 

[GWillow]

aww. I'm sure he wont do any damage. What kind of pup is it?

She's a 4 month old working Cocker Spaniel and will eat anything (but partial to guinea pig droppings)

 

[IdiotCoder]

I'm going to sub to this.
I very recently built my VERY FIRST pc using the same case (the nvidia edition though).

Seemed easy enough to work with, although it could have been crap, I wouldn't know seeing as it was my first time xP

Good luck man!
But most of all... Have fun! =D

P.S. I think the fix standoffs are just the ones that help to "lock" the MoBo into place as they have a inner raised bit which "locks" into the MoBo holes.
This is what I thought they were for anyway, made installing the MoBo a lot easier as once one of them is "locked" in, no more holding the MoBo in place whilst trying to screw in screws at the same time.

 

[TheCenturion]

Quite a nice case

This is the build logs section, it's all about looks, what's actually inside the pc doesn't matter So in theory you could build a Pentium 2 beast, but if it looked good then it would be fine.

Also, dude, you can't be getting bossed around by your son like that!

 

[RollerBall]

My brother is exactly the same. He's 8ish (I should probably know..) and wants to help me on my new rig but is somehow "booked up" for weeks. Reminds me of the Dylan Moran sketch of kids at parties.

 

[GWillow]

Right, some further pics.

The boxes unpacked.

The wonderfully packages PSU - can't believe how heavy it is as well.
(in it's box)

(and out)

Think I might have put a little too much on

Now to attach the heatsink

and the fan

Just love how easy hard drives are to fit and the fact they are fitted from the side

Looking a bit like a PC now

It was at this point I realised I'd fitted the heatsink round the wrong way. There wouldn't be much space between the fan and the GFX.

Time to remove it and turn it around. Upon removing it I saw that the thermal paste was probably covering a little less than 50% of the CPU.

This time I applied smaller dollops of paste in each of the corners of the CPU and twisted the heatsink as I put it on. I see if it appears to have done the trick when I take some temperatures later.

That's better, it now pushes are through the heatsink and out of the back of the case.

Just about done although I still need to transplant the Sata HD from the old PC - still, in this case it's easy enough. I also need an extension lead so I can reroute that 1 dodgy looking cable.

Now the scary side.

I've tidied these a little and managed to get the side panel on again.

This is the first time I've built a PC and tried to do something with the cables instead of just having them hanging there in a big mess.

Overall I'm quite please with the results - not perfect compared with most builds I see on here but still fairly pleasing for a first go.

 

[scrlk]

When applying thermal paste, you only need to cover the die in the middle and not the whole of the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader - the metal top). When you said you applied more thermal compound to the CPU it probably over saturated it so you will get an increase in temps vs. the single dot in the middle.

Also, you can route the 8-pin EPS connector round the back, there's a small hole for it in the top.

 

[GWillow]

Now some readings

The following are all at stock.

After about 5 mins of Prime95

And now some reading I'm sure will mean more to you than me.

I then had a quick play with the 'OC Genie' button that does the overclocking for you (if, like me, you don't know what you're doing).

Again I'd done about 5 mins of Prime95.

and finally

 

[Shakeel]

did you just press oc genie then turn on your pc?

 

[GWillow]

did you just press oc genie then turn on your pc?

Yep. That's about the extent of my overclocking knowledge.

 

[Guitarman0]

That is a decent overclock considering all you did was press a button

Build looks good mate, but as said above, you can run the 8 pin cable behind the mobo tray

 

[RJC]

Very nice, like the shots with the heatsink in the different positions

 

[CrixxzeH]

Sweet build, Gratz on the first build .

 

[IdiotCoder]

Nice Low temperatures!
Seems to be cooling better than my Kuhler H2O 620! =/

I have the 650W version of that PSU as well as the same case. The 8-pin proved very tricky to get in! The wire could have been longer. Ended up having to use the 4+4-pin so I could plug half in at a time! Tight fit, but managed it!

Any pictures of post-cable management?

 

[RollerBall]

Cable management is miles better than my current build. I should really do something about that...